Cigarette dispensing package



Feb. 6, 1962 J. GELLERT 3,019,892

CIGARETTE DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed Feb. 19, 1960 INVENTOFL J OBSTGELEE'KT' A1TORNEY ited States atent Ofihce 3,019,892 Patented Feb. 6,1962 3,019,892 CIGARETTE DISPENSING PACKAGE Jobst Geller-t, 227 ViewmontAve., Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Feb. 19,1960, Ser. No. 9,897 8Claims. (Cl. 206-412) This invention relates to a cigarette package andin particular to a package which has a novel construction whereby acigarette may be extracted from the package by the simple expedient ofsliding the top to form a discharge slot and then tilting the package.

An object of the present invention is to provide a package which amotorist may use with one hand to extract a cigarette while driving.

The cigarette package of the present invention comprises abase having abottom, a front wall and side walls joined together in a substantiallyfirm structure; a movable section slidably fitted to said base andhaving a top,

side and rear walls, a divider fastened to the front edge of the top andprojecting towards the bottom, said divider being positioned to normallylie against the inside of the front wall and being of a depth to haveits lower edge terminate above the bottom a distance slightly greaterthan the thickness of a cigarette; said base and movable sectioncombining to form a package whereby upon sliding said top sectionlaterally relative to said base a slot is formed between the front walland the divider through which one cigarette at a time will be dispensedby tilting the package from a substantially horizontal plane through anangle slightly greater than 90; and means slidably retaining saidsection in its package forming condition without interfering with thedispensing of the cigarette.

In addition to the advantage of being able to extract a cigarettewithout the use of two hands, another advantage of the package of thepresent invention is that the cigarette may be removed quite easily fromthe package without touching the cigarette with the hands. This is ofadvantage since it is more sanitary to remove the cigarette with thelips in the manner hereinafter described than by gripping it between thethumb and fingers.

Other and further advantages of the package of this invention will beapparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings inwhich FIGURE 1 illustrates the novel construction of the package.

FIGURE 2 shows the package fully assembled.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section on the line 33 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the package dispensing one cigarette, and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

In its preferred construction, the package is made from a single sheetof substantially stiff cardboard sheet Which is creased so that it willfold along the crease lines to form the package. Any standard packageforming machine can be readily adapted to form the proper crease linesalong which the package can be folded into the shape and form of thepresent invention. It will, of course, be understood that othermaterials may be used in place of cardboard sheet which is used toillustrate the construction and operation of the invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the base is generally indicated by thenumeral 10, the base consisting of a bottom 11, a front wall 12, endwalls 13, 14, the end walls being formed slightly longer than the widthof the base so that they can form end folds 15, 16, which are glued tothe inside of the front wall, thus forming the base into a substantiallyfirm structure. The front wall is formed with a diagonal extension 17adjacent the end wall 13, the diagonal section having a flap 18 which isglued to the outside of the end wall 13. The purpose of the diagonalmember 17 will be apparent from the subsequent description.

The cardboard sheet is creased, as shown, along lines to form theforegoing parts and is folded along those lines to form the base.

The movable section which is indicated by the reference numeral 19, andis also formed by the same cardboard sheet as the base 10, consists ofthe top 20, side walls 21,- 22, a rear wall 23, the rear wall 23 beingprovided with flaps 24, 25, which are folded inwardly so as toslideagainst the end walls 13, 14. The flaps 24, 25, are not fastened to theend walls 13, 14. Fastened to the front edge of the top is a divider 26which extends downwardly towards the bottom and has its front edge of adepth that it will terminate above the bottom a distance slightlygreater than the thickness of a cigarette. The side walls 21, 22, areformed with turned in flaps 27, 28, which are fastened to the inside ofthe divider 26. The parts of the movable section are formed by creasingthe cardboard sheet along the lines shown and then folded along thoselines to form the movable section.

The package is formed. of a size that will hold three layers ofcigarettes, seven, seven and six cigarettes, respectively, in each ofthe three layers. Of course the size is given by way of explanation andnot as a limitation.

As will be seen in FIGURE 1, the package is partially folded along thecrease lines. By completely folding the top 20, of the movable section19, down against the base as shown in FIGURE 2, and securing it in thatpositionby folding the diagonal piece 17 down against the top 20 andthen fastening the flap 18 to the side or end wall 13, the package iscompleted.

Of course, before closing the package, it will be filled withcigarettes, and after filling and closing the package, it will bewrapped and sealed to retain the cigarettes in good condition untilrequired by the smoker.

A smoker desiring a cigarette from the package will, of course, firstremove the cellophane wrapping. After that is done, the person will holdthe package in either his right or left hand and tip the packageslightly to lower the left hand edge of the package relative to thehorizontal'plane. This ensures that a cigarette will be positionedadjacent the left hand side of the package. He then slides the top,using his thumb, in the direction of the arrow A. The lateral movementof the movable section will form a slot between the front wall and thedivider of substantially the same width as a cigarette and the cigarettewhich rests on the bottom 11 adjacent the wall will be lying in thebottom of the slot thus formed. Then by rotating the package slightlymore than counterclockwise to the position shown in FIGURE 4, thecigarette will be tilted out of the slot, as shown, with the end of thecigarette in a positon that the smoker can take hold of it with hislips. The cigarette is prevented from falling out of the slot by thediagonal member 17, which extends across the lower left hand corner.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the package is susceptibleto a number of modifications including methods of forming the base andthe top into a firm structure. Consequently the terms used in theforegoing description are by way of explanation and illustration and notby way of limitation.

' What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

I. A cigarette package comprising a base section having a bottom, afront wall and side walls joined together in a substantially firmstructure; a movable top section 3 having a top, a rear wall hingedlyconnected to the top section and base section permitting slidingmovement of the top section relative to the base section, said rear wallforming the rear wall of the package; a divider fastened to the frontedge of the top and projecting towards the bottom, said divider beingpositioned to normally lie against the inside of the front wall andbeing of a depth having its lower edge terminate above the bottom adistance slightly greater than the thickness of a cigarette, and panelsprojecting down fromthe ends of the top and positioned to lie inside theside walls whereby on sliding, said top section laterally a slot' isformed between the front and thedivider. through which one cigarettewill be dispensed by tilting. the package from a substantiallyhorizontal plane through an angle slightly greater than- 90; and means'slidably retaining said section in its package forming condition.

2. A cigarette package according. toolaim- 1-,. the additional featureof. an end flap on each end of the rear wallfolded inwardly to lieagainst and slidable relative to the side walls, sai'd flaps limitingthe sliding movement of the top;

3. A cigarette package according to claim 2,,v in which the" base andthe movable section are formed from: a single sheet of cardboard foldedalong crease lines divid.-- ing said sheet into the aforesaid, bottom,front wall", side walls, top and rear walls, the divider, the endflaps,and the means for retaining the movable sectionin its packageformingeonditon'.

4. Acigarette package according to claim. 1,. in which said meanscomprises a diagonal member extendingacross' said top and joined to thefront wall and the adjacent side wall; said member forming a supportto.retain said cigarette in its positionfor dispensing.

5... A. cigarette package according to claim. 14 in which: the base andthe movable section are formedfromasingle sheet of cardboard foldedalong crease lines dividing saidi sheet into the aforesaid, bottom,front-wall, side walls,

top and rear walls, the divider and the means for retaining the movablesection in its package forming condition.

6. A cigarette package according to claim 5, the additional feature of adiagonal member extending from the top edge of the front wall and havinga flap arranged to be folded and secured to theend wall.

7. A cigarette package comprising a base having a bottom, a front walland side walls joined together in a substantially firm structure; amovable section slidably fitted to said base to form a package, saidsection having a top, side and rear walls, a divider fastened to thefront edge of the top and projecting towards the bottom, said dividerbeing positioned to normally lie against the inside of the front walland being of adepth to have its lower edge terminate above the bottomadistance slightly greater than the thickness of a cigarette'whereby bysliding saidtop section laterally a slot is formed between the front andthedivider through which one cigarette will be dispensed by tilting thepackage from asubstantially horizontal plane through an angle slightlygreater than andmeans slidably retaining, said movable section initspackage forming condition without interfering with. the dispensingiofthe cigarette, said: base and the movable section being. formed: fromasingle sheet of cardboardfolded along crease lines dividingrsaid: sheetinto the aforesaid, bottormfront wall, side walls, top and rear walls;the divider andthe means for retaining the movable section in-itspackage forming. conditions 8. A cigarette package according to claim 7,the additional feature ofa diagonal member extending from the top edgeof the front. wall and having a flap arranged to be folded andsecured'to. the endwall.

Duell June 12, 1945'

